Moiety
by shattered glass lilies
Summary: Although a descendant of one of the most noble ninja clans to exist, Uchiha Sasuke was raised as the grandson of the head priest of Otogakure. When his supposedly deceased brother appears to ask a favor, however, his life is altered drastically. NaruSasu.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: This is AU, taking place more during the times of feudal Japan maybe (not exactly sure where I want to put it when referring to an actual historic period, which is partly why it is so incredibly AU). It will contain both ninja and samurai, but not chakra or tailed beasts. The characters and names do still have the powers- mostly- pertaining to their character, but there are a few certain, eh, limitations. I suppose it will make more sense as this continues on...**

* * *

Otogakure was a relatively small village in comparison to some of the other settlements nearby. It was primarily used for lower and middle-class residents of the nation, so most of the residents relied on subsistence farming. A large ring of crops surrounded the town during the warmer months, in which most individuals in the village aided in growing the food.

The Uchiha clan, a family that had produced some of the strongest and prodigal ninjas of all time, had founded the village over one hundred years prior. Their watchful eyes (and deep pockets) had helped the village grow and prosper, and it was believed Otogakure would become a global powerhouse.

Unfortunately, during a particularly harsh raid brought on by a neighboring city and rival family, the majority of the Uchiha's were wiped out. Only two remained (due only to the fact they had happened to be breaking the rules and out in the forest practicing their skills at the time), the sons of the clan heads, Itachi and Sasuke. They were only the tender ages of thirteen and eight respectively.

Otogakure had been left in ruin by the time that the rivaling force had retreated, and everything worth some kind of money had been ransacked. There was no longer protection from enemies- unless one counted Itachi, who although was one of the strongest and most ingenious person that had been born before could hardly protect an entire village from a 10,00 man invasion- either, so it was not much later that the majority of the population packed up what little belongings they owned and emigrated to a different location.

Itachi and his beloved little brother Sasuke had been taken in by the head priest of the area, a man who called himself Orochimaru. He was rather peculiar at times, with his golden feline eyes and slick black hair, but the man took gave them a place to stay, delicious meals, and great company. Neither ever lodged a complaint.

To say Itachi had been satisfied with such a life would be a false assumption, however. Each and every time he came upon some item or action that reminded of his late family caused his blood to boil. He had vowed to avenge his fallen comrades and clan members, and trained each and every day in order to be able to. It was not uncommon that Sasuke would wander out to the forest to call his elder sibling for dinner only to find the man exhausted and practically passed out on the ground. It was times such as those he was thankful he was spawned from a clan with bodies built for manual labor and high activity levels because goddamn Itachi was heavy!

Even with this fact, Sasuke was not trained to be a ninja like his brother. Before his family had passed, the boy had barely begun his training and Itachi had refused to continue giving him lessons afterwards. The elder Uchiha would not allow his brother to be caught up in some battle and end up dead, he was the only relative, and in all honesty the only one in the world, he currently gave a damn about. If he were to lose Sasuke, he did not know what he would do.

This is partially why it was no surprise Itachi set out on his own quest for knowledge the day he turned 18. There was only so much one could learn on their own, and by searching out companions there was a more probable chance of defeating to fiends that had slaughtered the residents of Otogakure many years before. Then, perhaps he would return to live a peaceful existence out in the village with a mild-tempered wife and his sibling. It would most likely only take a year or two, so he doubted Sasuke would even notice he was gone (the child had been quite upset upon hearing the news of his brothers departure and had practically clung onto his leg in an attempt to stop him from going).

Of course, fate never seems to work the way one wants it to because Itachi didn't come back. There was never a letter or messenger or anything sent to the priest or Sasuke. A signal to his survival or demise was never received.

Although it was painful, Sasuke eventually accepted the fact his brother was most likely never going to return. For a period of time, he went through a rebellious stage in which he vowed revenge of whatever soul had snatched away his sibling from his grasp, but after almost igniting the forest outside Otogakure, his plans were soon given up. Without the proper guidance, he would never be able master any type of ninjutsu. There was nobody in the village who knew enough to teach him either, and for him to travel to the next town on his own was dangerous- the war currently being waged had just begun and the slaughtering of random civilians had been common. Sasuke had given into the teachings of a common housewife or womanly man- there really was no difference, everyone basically partook in all of the responsibilities- who lived in their village at that point.

"Good morning Sasuke!" a small girl giggled, running past the brunet with her bare feet slapping softly against the cobblestone path.

With an irritated mumble and slight curse at the speedy little nuisance, the Uchiha nodded his head in acknowledgement while attempting to balance a precariously held basket as it teetered back and forth. Orochimaru had sent him to bring a pregnant mother who had no husband to speak of (some sleazy man had raped her while she was visiting her family in another city, but in his personal opinion Sasuke just thought she was a slut) and a low income a weeks ration of food courtesy of the temple. The female lived in possibly the farthest lot from the building and down several uneven flights of stairs, so the trip was often tedious and boring. Add dozens of rambunctious children to the mix as well as elderly women who enjoyed stopping to chat with him in the midst of his chore, an one could see why Sasuke often found himself exasperated and irritable.

Today's run had been particularly awful thus far, as it seemed as if it was one of the runts birthdays and they were having a party. The youths were practically climbing among the tangles of brush that lined the path and playing some sort of game. Despite being cranky a lot, this would have not usually gotten on his nerves; Sasuke was a caring teenager with a warm heart hidden under dozens of layers of defenses he had built up over the years. It was on this particular day, however- the longest of the year according to what one of the monks had told him this morning- that the brats were determined to get him to participate in their activities. As the matured 'grandson' of the priest (it was what Orochimaru referred to him as when people questioned their relation), it was not proper for him to partake. He had become to old for such antics, and if he wished to spend time with the people of the village he should do so in a constructive manner.

So along with the usual issues, the Uchiha heir found himself dodging stone and sticks tossed in his path. Several of the little demons were attempting to knock out his legs by running at the back of his knees, and a few more decided it would be beneficial to yank the basket out of his hands and run away with it rather than help him carry it to the pregnant woman. With his nimble movements and pure luck, he was able to avoid most of the mess, but eventually his good fortune ended. When the brunet had been distracted, he took a misstep and set his foot on a loose stone, which in turn sent him rolling down a set of stairs.

There was a flurry of fucks, goddammits, and groans before Sasuke reached the end of the flight, mostly from the fact he would probably have to return to the temple to get more food and make the trip once again than pain from the fall. The children had scurried away like little mice to hide away in their houses, bound to play innocent if confronted on the ordeal (not that he would, his schedule was much too busy for wasting his time on such a trivial matter).

The Uchiha lie on his stomach, cheek pressed to the warm cobblestones as he watched a few bruised plums roll past his face. There were many people who would gratefully accept the damaged produce, but this particular woman was not one of them. Although she was almost penniless, she was still quite picky about what she would and would not accept. Orochimaru, being quite poor himself, gave his best effort to find fruits and vegetables that were to her liking but often found this was impossible. Nevertheless, he insisted Sasuke put his best effort towards pleasing the woman- the pale man had stuck him with the duty of replying to all her requests, the damn sneak- as he was the grandson of the priest and needed to preserve his image of sweet and caring for the people of the village.

The aforementioned population adored Sasuke, always speaking of how much he helped out despite having the title that he did and how much of adorable young man he had become. The brunet was not sure how to take the praise, as he had been taught to aid anyone in need of assistance from a young age onwards. As for his apparent "cuteness," the mere thought irked him. He had never been as buff as his brother- no matter how hard he worked, he would end up only slightly toned- and taken on a more lithe body structure, as his mother had when she was alive. For them to call out such a thing in front of his face, especially when he was a man, was quite degrading. All the women fawned over him while the men felt an urge to protect him. It was a rather strange situation.

This explained why the Uchiha was mildly surprised that not a soul came running to help him up or gather the scattered contents of the basket. As a matter of fact, the whole area seemed deserted, like one of the ghost towns spoken of in the priests' books. Odd it was, considering it was mid-afternoon and usually one of the busiest times of the day.

Shrugging to himself at the oddity, Sasuke pushed himself on to his hands and knees and began to crawl around and pick up the damaged produce (climbing to his feet and then bending down may have been easier, but the Uchiha figured it was just more convenient this way instead of bending over every few seconds). There were pears lost among the shrubbery, lettuce that rolled down the lane, and a few apples to the left of-

The brunet froze in place as someone silently picked up one of the fruits. Following the alabaster appendage to the rest of the persons' body, he made eye contact with a pair of ruby eyes with a rush of electric orange hair in the periphery of his vision. The man- as it would be odd for women to have abs as this person possessed showing from underneath an open kimono – was someone Sasuke had never seen before, a stranger.

It was very unusual for Otogakure to have visitors, as it was out of the way in terms to the paths to any of the more important villages. Attractions found in the city added up to almost zero as well, so nothing drew tourists either. It was not as if anyone minded though, most were satisfied with the life they lived. Those who were not moved elsewhere. It was a simple concept.

Regarding the man, whereas most had seemed rather afraid judging by their speedy disappearance, Sasuke was struck by curiosity. The outsider seemed to have a katana in a pouch resting on his hip and various scars marring his body, signifying he was either a ninja or samurai of some kind. While the brunet had grown to accept the fact he would probably never become a ninja as his brother had, it did not cease his desire to at least continue his training in the ways of one…

"May I have this?" a soft voice questioned, breaking the Uchiha out of his daze. The stranger was holding one of the apples in his outwards stretched hand and gazing at him in an expectant manner. It was not at all demanding, but he was still quick to respond.

"Yeah, of course, go ahead and take as many as you please," Sasuke replied, turning his back towards the man and moving to snatch another citrus fruit from the ground. Maybe if he sucked up enough and then asked politely, the man could teach him a thing or two before he departed. "It's not as if the original recipient is going to want them now anyways. Would you like some sort of vegetable, there are some over there near the-"

Rotating back to his original position, the ebony-haired boy was a little disheartened to find the other man already walking away. He hadn't even said goodbye or signaled his departure or anything!

What an asshole.

With a low growl in his throat, Sasuke pushed himself onto his feet and jogged up to the man. "Where the hell do you think your going? You can't just walk around like you own the place, if you are a visitor you have to go check in with the head priest! There's a war going on you know!"

Okay, maybe that all wasn't factual. There were indeed hostilities going on between two powers, but wanderers who happened upon the village never had to check in with Orochimaru. Usually the villagers would treat the stranger well and offer their homes for a place for the person to stay for a night or two; it was odd they chose not to in this case, as a ninja was often well desired. In fact, Sasuke bet if the man did follow his instructions and see the priest, his grandfather was going to be mighty angry. He despised when someone fucked up his calming afternoon meditation session.

This did not seem as if it was going to be an issue, however, because the man continued to be ignorant of his comments and kept on with his meandering. No matter how many time the Uchiha would jump in front of him or scream his questions, it was the same damn reaction; nothing

Now Sasuke was never known for his patience or charisma-just because he helped out more than what everyone expected and looked damn attractive all the time didn't mean he was friendly. When the girls around Otogakure had reached puberty, they had practically all attempted to ask him out. They had all been denied with a roll of the eyes and a snarky remark either relating them to some unsightly creature or just remarking that he was not interested (he really wasn't lying, he preferred a muscular chest over boobs). Sometimes when older men tried to talk to him about the old days, he would just blow them off as if nobody had been there. He was a bit of a little shit, he would admit only to himself but nobody seemed to mind anymore. It was a well-known fact that when he was in one of his 'moods' it was best to just let him brood by himself rather than attempt to speak with or calm him down. It was best that way for everyone. So when the Uchiha's patience quickly came to the end of the rope, it really wasn't a surprise he attached himself onto the orange-haired mans arm and refused to let go.

"Who the hell are you?" he hissed, leaning his weight backwards in a failed attempt to get the male to stop walking forwards.

Barely sparing a glance backwards, the aforementioned individual jerked the muscles in his right are and detached the boy almost immediately. He paused for barely a few seconds in order to readjust his kimono before once again striding forward. This time, though, he spoke.

"I have nothing much to my name, of which does not particularly matter. Not one of the clans do I belong anyways; I pride myself on being a wanderer who happens to know a thing or two about conflict. Although your people cower in fear of my presence, I do not wish to afflict harm on any one of these innocent citizens. Soon I shall be on my way, so I do hope you will leave me to my own practices now that I have given you the explanation I know you desired."

Halting in his jog to keep up with the larger man's long strides, Sasuke swallowed hard. A swell of disappointment rose in his stomach at the others words. A not-so-obvious denial to his wish of training had been served. Had his motives really been that easy to read?

From a ways ahead, the visitor spoke once more. "You do intrigue me, however. Perhaps if I happen upon you again one day I could teach you something; you are, after all, obviously a descendant from a family of ninja. Taking on an apprentice could be an interesting experience."

Sasuke didn't utter a single syllable as the vermillion-eyed stranger took a left and walked out of his line of vision. He was not sure if he felt like jumping around in joy as if he were a mere seven years old again or laying down and sulking for having his emotions being played (if the man was a wanderer and knew he was the priests 'grandson,' he had obviously known he was never going to be permitted to leave and would probably never see him again). Villagers were beginning to reemerge and gossip about his confrontation with the man, and from a fairly good distance away he could hear Orochimaru's good friend Kabuto calling for him- the silver-haired man was an astounding medic and had probably noted Sasuke's scraped flesh from his fall before. Even farther away, there were the voices of two men bickering about something or another (weirdly enough, he couldn't recognize either of them and he knew almost everyone who lived in Otogakure). Maybe there would be a fight he could go break up or some kind of thievery occurring!

The brunet somehow knew that today was going to continue being very interesting.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, yet another new story... (I'm sure you are all becoming annoyed with me at this point XD). This wasn't exactly what I was speaking of before, but it is a multiple chapter NaruSasu fic. At least that's what I have planned currently. As usual with me, it is subject to change.**

**I would love if you took the time to review this and let me know what you think! I adore everyone who reads, favorites, alerts, and reviews! Plus there's always that special place in my heart for the people who review practically everything I write (you know who you are)! The authoress reads them during class and smiles like a lunatic, causing everyone around her to think shes crazy!  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own or claim rights any of the characters used in this piece. The plot is also somewhat based on a separate game, so I do not own the full plot either.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

After fighting off one concerned Kabuto (who had fussed terribly over a small, bleeding gash on his left knee and spent over an hour stitching it up) and several gossiping villagers, Sasuke found himself wandering back towards the temple. The reason for this trek had occurred directly after getting away from the aforementioned individuals. He had gathered up the bruised produce, placing the ones that were worse for the wear on the bottom of the basket and those that were practically unharmed on the top, in an attempt to convince the recipient that they were as perfect as when they had been harvested. The woman, who had apparently watched his tumble, was not swayed however, and insisted he return to the temple and ask for a fresh basket. She even had the audacity to demand that he go run errands for her following the delivery of her new basket of goods, as if he didn't have other responsibilities to attend to.

What a bitch.

So now he had twice as many things to do in about half as much time. Plus, the confrontation with the stranger had left him feeling mildly irritated. If one were to calculate his mood currently, the foulness of it would be absolutely off the scale. This was one of those times in which everyone in the village should just let him go somewhere by himself to brood and take his responsibilities and put them on their own shoulders. He surely did it enough times for them.

Of course, fate did not function in such a way. nobody miraculously fell from the sky and offered such a thing, and the monks from the temple still attempted conversation when he arrived.

"It is a gorgeous day today, isn't it Sasuke?" one inquired, falling in step beside the moody teenager.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," the brunet responded tartly, quickening his pace in an attempt to blow off the older man.

"If one had access to a bicycle, it would be magnificent to go cycling, or perhaps f you just wished to relax a nice stroll by the river just outside of town would be enjoyable," the monk continued, blatantly ignoring the younger's efforts. "Maybe later Orochimaru, you, and myself could head over to-"

Furrowing his elegant eyebrows, Sasuke took turn to his left and started up the stairs towards the temple entrance. The monks of Otogakure were well known for their talkativeness, and it was not uncommon for people to just dismiss their conversation. Yes, it was rather impolite but if one continued to stay and chat, they would be stuck there all day. The Uchiha knew better than to just stand around from the experience of growing up here.

"Ah, Sasuke!" the bald man shouted from behind, lifting up his robes and beginning to follow the raven-haired male up the steps. "The priest informed me to let you know you are not supposed to return home until at least sunset today! He is currently involved in a very serious manner in which he does not want you to become involved with yet!"

"Chef, whatever. He is probably just pissed because I dropped his fine china yesterday. He is just going to have to deal with my presence while he enlightens me where I can obtain more fruit for that stupid pregnant woman he spoils so much," the younger grumbled, not including the fact that he was going to feed Manda- the large snake Orochimaru kept as a pet- some of the cracked eggs he had saved from the damaged food in the basket in his explanation. He could hear the monk behind him fretting, but eventually give up and return to the structures base.

Sighing slightly in relieve to rid himself of the nuisance, Sasuke quickly ascended the last few steps until he reached a small platform between two flights of stairs. To the right, it was lined by shrubbery, signally a steep fall, but on the left there was a small grassy area where Mandan hung around near. Most monks tried their best to stay away from the space, as they were quite terrified of the reptile, so it was usually unoccupied. Today, however, there was a man sitting cross-legged smack dab in the center.

Although Sasuke was unable to see the person's face, he could tell he had dark hair much like his own, but chopped much closer to the skull. His clothes were rather peculiar, consisting of a shirt that was cropped off at the stomach, long pants, and open-toed sandals. A light robe, dark charcoal in coloring, was draped across his shoulders with the sash untied and fluttering in the light breeze. Mandan was wrapped tightly around the individuals arm, but not in threatening manner, almost as if she was comfortable with his company.

Upon approach, the man stood quickly and turned to face him. Translucent eyes, very similar to the Uchiha's own, seemed to analyze his body, taking in every curve and dip. His muscles seemed tense, as if he were somehow being threatened.

"Who are you?" he questioned in a low tone, allowing the snake to slip from his grasp and back onto the ground. "What is your purpose for being here?"

Sasuke just scoffed in response, crossing his arms. "That should be my question for you! My grandfather Orochimaru is not going to be pleased with the amount of strangers wandering in and out of the village. It is quite odd for this to be happening, as we have never had any guest come in unnoticed."

The Uchiha noted that the other mans posture seemed to relax upon his words. "Ah, that must mean you are the priests grandson then." The seemingly older brunet stated casually, eyeing the younger's from again. "I don't see what those two see in you, your nothing special."

Raising a single eyebrow, the teen gave the other man a blank look. "Whom are you referring to when you say that? There are probably over 100 people living in this village alone."

"Your so feminine! Your hair is thick, fingernails properly groomed, and skin unmarred. Most men, even in your tiny village, have some sort of marking or stain! What kind of male are you, I bet you don't even have a dick under that kimono of yours!"

"W-what!" Sasuke sputtered, appalled by the mans crude phrasing. How DARE he insult his manhood! Just because he hadn't been raised in perhaps the most suiting environment for his sex didn't mean he was female by any means. Being clean and proper was only suitable! "Why you son of a bitch, come over here so I can-"

"Oh Sai, where are you?" a third voice called out, proficiently cutting the Uchiha's sentence off. "Come out come out wherever you are!"

The man, who apparently was named Sai based on his exasperated look when he heard the call of his name, frowned. From just above where they were standing, a blond-haired man jumped downwards and landed between the two of them.

"Where the hell did you run off to? I was lookin' everywhere you stupid jerk!" the newest addition whined, placing his large hands on his hips in a horrific attempt to look like a scolding mother.

"Naruto, you brat, don't talk to me like that! I'm older than you, respect your elders!" Sai grouched, smacking the taller blond on the shoulder. Naruto, as what Sasuke guessed was his named, whined back.

The blond was quite large for apparently being younger than Sai. His attire was almost stranger than the other mans too. His bright orange shirt had a large slit running down the middle to his belly button, outlined in a thick black strip. Baggy orange pants hung from his waist, with a few pouches hanging from the loops there. There were several decorative ropes hanging from the material, as well as a thin scarf wrapped around his shoulders with a corresponding color. Three thin scars marred his tan cheeks, with the same amount of circular piercing dangling from each of his ears. The coloring of his hair was quite unique, a light blond with tones of deep red, making it seem almost orange. While his bangs were cut moderately short and hair on the top of his head incredibly messy, the hair from the nape of his neck down was pulled into a loose ponytail and held back with a strip of white material. He looked like a giant idiot. Sasuke could immediately tell they weren't going to get along.

"So anyways, what were you doing all the way down here, you weren't talkin' to yourself again, were ya'?" Naruto asked, seemingly over his complaining. "You know you gotta' stop that, and being so nasty all the time, nobody wants to hear you talkin' about their penis's."

Sai cleared his throat and shot Sasuke what the Uchiha thought was an apologetic look. "Naruto, I was just speaking with _him_ when you so very rudely interrupted."

The blond froze- it seemed like he was constantly fidgeting- in place for a few moments before turning around to gaze at Sasuke with [gorgeous] cerulean orbs. "What! No way, you're kidding me! This is him?"

The other oddly dressed man nodded his head, although the blond could not see the action. "Yes, but I really don't think he is what we were expecting. I mean, he-"

"He is way more attractive than I thought he was gonna' be," Naruto muttered, shooting the Uchiha a wide smile. Sasuke stepped back a foot or two in response, only to be crushed to a muscular chest a few seconds later.

"Wha-what are you doing you imbecile!" the brunet shouted, struggling to break away from strong embrace. "Wh-who the hell are you two anyways?"

There was a pregnant pause, in which the air was completely void of conversation from any member of the trio. There was, of course, the usual noise of the villagers taking part in their daily rituals and the chattering of the monks below, but up on the ledge, not even the ornamental pieces on anyone's clothing seemed to clink together.

"You mean you don't know?" Sai asked, sounding incredulous (not that Sasuke could see him with his face smashed against Naruto's abdominals and pectorals). "You can't tell by our clothing?"

Sasuke growled, his irritation from before beginning to fester, "No, am I supposed to be able to magically tell your occupation by your attire? I didn't realize that was a necessity of being the grandson of the priest of a small village. Next time I go to Kenosha I will make sure to check out several books on the subject just so I am able to please strangers like you to the best of my fucking ability!"

"You're both naïve and testy, I still can't comprehend why we had to come all the way here just for _you_," Sai grumbled, crossing his arms. "I don't think you could get any more stupid, I mean, even the seven year old Naruto here crashed into knew who the hell we were!"

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes in response, beginning to glare at the other brunet (if looks could kill, Sai would have been thrown into the sun to burn to a crisp several hundred times already). Naruto had dropped his arms away and stepped back towards his comrade upon feeling the thick tension building between the two brunet males. "You asshole."

Sai smiled wickedly as he readjusted his clothing to its proper position. "Now, I'm sure if anyone here was an asshole, it would be you. I'm pretty sure I would be the dick."

As Sasuke gaped at the vulgar phrasing (it really wasn't all that bad, but never being introduced to something with… such a beautiful way with words had left Sasuke quite susceptible to becoming embarrassed by something like that being mentioned), the elder pasty-skinned man motioned towards the blond with his hand. "Come, Naruto we should get back before they start wondering where the hell we went. They probably wouldn't be worried about you, but they might be concerned that your screwing off got me killed or something."

"Nah, shut up Sai, nobody cares about your skimpy ass! If I died it would be a tragedy though, I doubt anyone would be able to recover fully from the trauma," the azure-eyed boy responded, sticking out his tongue.

Sai scoffed, "Believe what you will."

With that, the two other men disappeared into seemingly thin air. Naruto had given him another stupid smile before departing, however. Not a single leaf on the surrounding trees had rustled and the grass where they had been standing did not even look as if it had been disturbed. A still-gaping Sasuke was all that was left in their wake.

"The hell...?"

* * *

Upon finally arriving back at the temple, the Uchiha's mood had tumbled down from incredibly terrible to absolutely horrendous. He had planned on finishing his walk up the stairs, only to accidently step on Mandan, whom of course being a snake and all, bit his ankle. Her venom was not deadly by any means, but it did tend to knock a person out, so the Uchiha had woken up in Kabuto's home, with the man stroking bangs away from his forehead. While this by itself was incredibly creepy (it was common knowledge the silver-haired man wanted in the Sasuke's pants), the majority of his clothing, minus his silky black boxers, had miraculously vanished from his body frame! When he politely questioned the location of his attire, Kabuto had smiled mysteriously and said they had gotten dirty and were in need of a good wash. If he needed to return home so desperately, he could borrow some of his hosts clothing for the time being.

Needless to say, after getting dressed the brunet had limped home faster than any injured person had before him.

Sasuke was cranky and in need of a good nap, but he still had his responsibilities to take care of. While he may have usually tried to figure out the solution to his situation regarding the basket of food for the pregnant woman himself before resorting to Orochimaru's assistance (as much as he bitched and insisted the priest was not all that nice, the Uchiha was honestly very thankful for the man raising his elder brother and himself after the untimely demise of their relatives), today had burned away his patience until it was at the very end of the rope, and he longed for the day to come to a close.

Several of the higher monks had shot condescending looks his way as he noisily tromped down the hallway, but Sasuke couldn't have cared less. Orochimaru may have been in a 'vital meeting' at the moment, but usually those just entailed him sitting down to chat with an old visiting friend. Nobody wished to wipe out an insignificant village like their own, so there was scarcely anyone of importance who came around.

When he reached the door, the Uchiha was relatively surprised nobody had noticed his presence. It was not as if he had been silent in his movement, and the priests hearing was superior- the cause of many of his scolding's as a child for sneaking outside to play after curfew. It was very odd.

Crouching down directly outside the doorway, Sasuke decided it would be an excellent opportunity to snoop and freshen up his rusty stealth skills. Placing one of his ears to the thin divider with a small smile of satisfaction, he began to listen in.

"…expected to arrive within days. With the size of his troops versus our own, it usually would not be an issue, however he seems to have hired out the Hyuuga clan for assistance," an unknown voice spoke softly.

"But are Hyuuga's not a ninja clan much like your own?" Orochimaru.

"Yes, but it seems as if the opposing force has become desperate. Despite their skills, Tobi understands that his throng of followers is nothing compared to our own. He has begun to hire out clans who have not agreed to join our own ranks," the stranger murmured, and Sasuke watched the individuals form lift up a cup and take a sip of whatever liquid was inside. His voice- as it was much too deep to be a female- sounded strangely familiar, and although he could only see silhouettes from his position, their form seemed recognizable as well. Perhaps it was just a slightly insane villager that had stuck out in his mind, insisting to speak to the priest about nonsensical and imaginary scenarios, but it was rather realistic sounding to be made

"Ah, I understand where your concern is sprouting from then," Orochimaru stated, interrupting the brunets train of thought "but it still does not explain your motives for returning here. If you wished to speak to a strategist, the best one in the country is from the regal Nara clan, Shikamaru is his name I believe. You have plenty of friends you could speak to if you needed to blow off steam, and if it was a priest you desired, there are several dozen more who are a cut above me and better at speaking of such matters."

There was a lengthy pause.

"So, do enlighten me as to why you have traveled all the way here from Konoha, Itachi."

Sasuke felt his breath catch in his throat and chest constrict uncomfortably. Itachi, as in his brother Itachi, the one he had not seen for years? Itachi, as in his beloved elder sibling? Itachi, as in the brother everyone assumed was dead?

There was a small snort from the man who took another sip of his beverage before responding. "Ah, I would love to Orochimaru, but I would prefer not to have to explain the whole situation twice." The elder Uchiha turned his vision towards the entryway the youngest brunet was hidden behind. "Sasuke, my darling, foolish little brother, why don't you stop crouching behind the door like some kind of creep and join our conversation?"

**A/N: I wrote this out rather quickly, which scares me a bit as usually it takes me forever... **

**Anyways, here we are with chapter 2! I don't really have any commentary on it so I suppose I should just say I ADORE everyone who reviewed (especially), added it to favorites and/or alerts, or even just took the time to read it! You are all amaaaaazing!~  
**

****_Reviewer Responses:  
_

_Sylphenna: Okay, I suppose I should clarify a bit; there will be at least one tailed beast in this story (it is indeed Kurama, but you will have to wait and see if the person you guessed is really him) but they will be humans rather than beasts. Sorry if I didn't make that super clear at first! Thank you very much for the review/compliments, and here is your update!  
_

_Dragon77: Thank you for the review and here is your update!  
_

_cool story bro: (That made me smile by the way). Thank you for the review and praise! Here is your update!  
_

_Harco8059: Haha yes, thank you for the review and here is the update!  
_

__**If you have the time, I would love for you to leave me a review, they make me incredibly happy! Plus it lets me know people actually like this and that I should continue writing it!  
**

**By the way, flames and critiques are accepted and used to roast marshmallows!  
**

******Disclaimer: I do not own or claim rights any of the characters used in this piece. The plot is also somewhat based on a separate game, so I do not own the full plot either.**


End file.
